A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held during the morning, but the public was kept off the roadway until crews had time to clear blockades from ramps.

Westside Parkway is Bakersfield's first new freeway in nearly 40 years. The Thomas Roads Improvement Program has been building it for nearly four years, and the $240 million project was three decades in the planning.

"Back then, city planners and county planners thought about the need. They had a need for a new freeway on the west side of town. If you see the map of Bakersfield, you have (Highway) 99 going right through the middle of Bakersfield. And we have State Route 58 and 178 going to the east side of Bakersfield. On the west side of town, there's nothing. There's no freeways," city engineer Luis Topete said Friday morning prior to the opening.